L for Lullaby

I remember a night when I was 15. Those days, it was just mum and me and we stayed in Pune. I had my SSC exams the next day and I must have tossed and turned in worry for almost an hour. That was until mom pulled me close to her, started stroking my arm and singing my special song “Perzu Mari Pyaari”.
Ofcourse, it wasn’t an original composition or anything. And, my mother is as tone deaf as I am. But, all of that doesn’t matter when you are snuggled up next to mum and she sings you your song in that way that no one else can – again, it’s hard competing with that level of tone deafness.

When M was born, knowing how special my song was to me I wanted to make one up for him too. For two reasons. Firstly, most of the nursery rhymes and lullabies that are popular in recent times are actually quite depressing and talk of babies falling (Rock a Bye) and people dying (Row your boat) which is not the message I want my child sleeping with at night. And secondly, perhaps I was a little vain and wanted him to have that special memory of his mom coming up with a fabulous lullaby that magically puts him to sleep.

I can’t take full credit for the lullaby I did end up composing. Not just because the tune is stolen from Yankee Doodle but also because mom helped me with quite a few of the words. You could say I was the *smiles to self* producer. I spent many of my 2am sleepless nights swapping out one word for another so that the song would rhyme well and before I went back home post the 45 days I actually practiced singing it to mom so that I wouldn’t forget the tune (Yes, I give you permission to laugh at how lame that sounds).

Anyways, fast forward to M hitting his 4 month sleep regression and currently his 6 month teething pain, this lullaby has started working its magic. He loves hearing me sing it and most nights falls asleep to it as well. Trust me, after being told by countless friends and family about how I should stop singing as my voice is that bad, you don’t know what a great compliment this is.

I am sure you are now curious as to what this magical song is so here goes:

“Maro Murad Pori Jaye, Mitha Mitha Sapna Joye

Savare Uthi Makhan Khaye, Makhan Khaye ne Strong Thai Jaye

Strong Thai Jaye ne Muto Thai, Sikhi Bhani ne Naam Kamai

Badha nu to Vaal Paame, Maro Murad Mitho Che!

Chorus

Maro Murad Pori Jaye, Maro Murad Pori Jaye

Maro Murad Pori Jaye ne Mitha Mitha Sapna Joye!”

Loosely translated this reads:

“My Murad will go to sleep and get sweet dreams. He will then wake up in the morning and have butter. This butter will make him strong. Once he is strong, he will grow older. He will study and work hard and earn a name for himself. He will accept everyone’s love and always stays sweet like he is now.”

I hope that one day he will cherish this special song just like I cherish mine. For now, I am just happy I have another trick in my arsenal that makes him fall asleep!